Vantara: Reliance Foundation Anant Ambani launches animal rescue and care facility

The newly launched Vantara is spread over 3,000 hectares within Reliance’s Green Belt Jamnagar refinery complex in Gujarat.

Anant Ambani

New Delhi: Reliance Industries and Reliance Foundation on Monday announced the launch of the Vantara (Star of the Forest) programme. Vantara is an umbrella initiative that aims to rescue, treat, care and rehabilitate injured, abused and endangered animals both in India and abroad. The initiative was conceived by Anant Ambani, director on the boards of RIL and Reliance Foundation.

“What started as a passion for me at a very young age has now become a mission at Vantara. We focus on protecting critically endangered species native to India. We also want to restore vital habitats and address urgent threats to species and make Vantara a leading conservation programme,” Anant Ambani said on the occasion.

Everything you need to know Vantara

Vantara is spread over 3,000 hectares within Reliance’s Green Belt Jamnagar refinery complex in Gujarat
Vantara aims to be one of the leading contributors to conservation efforts worldwide.
Vantara has rescued more than 200 elephants and thousands of other animals, reptiles and birds from unsafe situations in recent years.
It has undertaken initiatives for key species, including the rehabilitation of rhinos, leopards and crocodiles.

Explaining the philosophy that inspired him to start Vantara, Ambani added: “Vantara is a combination of the age-old ethical value of compassion with the excellence of modern scientific and technological professionalism. I see Jeev Seva (animal care) as a seva for both the almighty and humanity. I got inspiration for this from my mother. In Hindu religion, animals are said to be dear to the gods.”

“We have rescued more than 200 elephants and brought them here from all parts of the country. We do ‘sewa’ of elephants here. This is not a zoological park but a ‘sewalaya’. The 600 hectare area has been developed as a natural habitat for elephants,” he said.

“We have created an animal hospital with the latest technology. The hospital has MRI and CT scanning machines, endoscopic robotic surgery machines and 6 surgical centers. We have also installed prosthetics for the animals in the hospital here…The zoological park will be opened to the public soon,” Ambani said.

“Vantara is committed to working with the Zoo Authority of India and other relevant government organizations in improving all over 150 zoos in India in the areas of training, capacity building and animal care infrastructure. We hope that Vantara can become a beacon of hope worldwide and demonstrate how a forward-thinking institution can advance global biodiversity conservation initiatives,” he added.